Christian Would Be Antonio Cesaro's Ideal Rival When He Returns to WWE

A fantastic WWE rivalry waits to begin in the form of Christian against Antonio Cesaro.

WWE fans have waited for Christian's return to the ring ever since he aggravated a shoulder injury and had to undergo surgery (h/t WrestleZone.com) last year. His ideal rival is Cesaro, already one of the company's best in-ring performers, but a man not fully appreciated.

In this scenario, Christian gets a talented opponent to battle upon his return. Cesaro gets an experienced veteran who will help him reach the next stage of his career.

Cesaro lost his United Stated Championship to Kofi Kingston on the April 15 episode of WWE Raw. Cesaro fans may have grimaced as Kofi clocked him with Trouble In Paradise and pinned him for the title, but the loss should prove to be a blessing. It frees him up to travel upward on the WWE hierarchy.

His championship didn't earn him a match at WrestleMania 29. It had him defending against guys like Sin Cara and R-Truth. Now free of the title, Cesaro can focus on taking bigger and bigger stars.

Christian is a great start.

The way a victory over Chris Jericho got Fandango a burst of momentum and the way that battling Mick Foley aided Randy Orton's career, a feud with Christian puts Cesaro in the spotlight and gives him every opportunity to succeed.

Christian's speed will meld perfectly with Cesaro's mat skills. Their matches should become about escape and strategy, filled with constant attempts to outsmart and outmaneuver each other. These clashes will serve as Cesaro's proving ground.

Cesaro has battled WWE's big names before, but has yet to have a career-defining feud.

A rivalry with Christian has a chance to be just that. Christian's playful irreverence will contrast well with Cesaro's snobbery. Captain Charisma will draw out Cesaro's best mic work to date. Christian's experience and stage presence will have him serve as the lead in their dances, especially in terms of promos.

Cesaro is plenty experienced on the independent circuit, but can learn a lot from Christian about how to tell a story and how to engage the crowd.

Continuing to put on quality matches against Justin Gabriel or Kofi Kingston can only do so much for him. He needs someone prominent to knock off, someone who can entertain along the way. Christian is the right man for the position.

He's established and popular enough to not only brush off a loss or two, but to make a star out of Cesaro in the process.